Palestinian mission to Sweden gets embassy status

(JTA) — The Swedish parliament upgraded the status of the Palestinian mission in Stockholm to an embassy.

The upgrade followed a vote in parliament Wednesday, the daily Varlden Idag reported, with left wing parties and the Social Democrats giving the motion a majority of 179 lawmakers against 140 opposed.

The vote gives the Palestinian mission in Stockholm the same privileges, immunities and exemptions as other embassies.

Last month, Cyprus elevated the mission in Nicosia to embassy status.

Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Markoullis said the country was following the practice of seven E.U. member states that recognized the State of Palestine in 1988, before joining the union: Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Malta.